Billie Mae Richards
Encyclopedia
Billie Mae Richards was a Canadian voice actress
, who also appeared onstage and on television.
in 1964's television special
(credited as "Billy Richards" to mask the fact that she was a woman). She also voiced Tenderheart Bear in the first
two
Care Bears
movies, as well as the DIC-produced television series
(credited as "Billie Mae Richard"), and Brightheart Raccoon in the Nelvana-produced Care Bears television series
.
In an interview, she stated "I'm just so glad that my kids, my grandkids, my great-grandkids and probably my great-great-grandkids will see Rudolph." She voiced Rudolph again in two other Rankin-Bass productions, 1976's Rudolph's Shiny New Year
and 1979's summertime sequel
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
.
Richards' four other appearances in Rankin-Bass productions were in Willie McBean and his Magic Machine, The King Kong Show
, The Smokey Bear Show and The Daydreamer (both from the mid-1960s). About that same time, she appeared in the original Spider-Man
television series. She also voiced all the female characters in The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo
and The Toothbrush Family with Len Carlson
, who voiced all the male ones.
She also made a guest appearances on the television shows Maniac Mansion
, My Secret Identity
, War of the Worlds
and The Hidden Room. She appeared in Pennies from Heaven
(1981; with Steve Martin
and Bernadette Peters
). She also had a bit part
in the 1998 horror film Bram Stoker's Shadow Builder
, in which her character was attacked with an axe by Paul Soles
(who had played Hermey the elf in the original Rudolph special), and the 2001 short Bluehair.
Richards retired to Toronto. She was at one time married to musician Bill Richards
and their daughter Judi Richards
is a successful pop singer and songwriter.
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
, who also appeared onstage and on television.
Career
Born as Billy Mae Dinsmore in Toronto, she was best known for voicing the role of Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through...
in 1964's television special
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (TV special)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a Christmas television special produced in stop motion animation by Rankin/Bass. It first aired Sunday, December 6, 1964, on the NBC television network in the USA, and was sponsored by General Electric under the umbrella title of The General Electric Fantasy Hour...
(credited as "Billy Richards" to mask the fact that she was a woman). She also voiced Tenderheart Bear in the first
The Care Bears Movie
The Care Bears Movie is a 1985 Canadian animated film, the second feature production from the Toronto animation studio Nelvana. One of the first films based directly on a toy line, it introduced the Care Bears characters and their companions, the Care Bear Cousins. In the film, orphanage owners...
two
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation is a 1986 children's animated film produced by LBS Communications, Inc. and Canadian animation studio Nelvana. The third animated feature from Nelvana, it was directed by Dale Schott, written by Peter Sauder and produced by Nelvana's three founders...
Care Bears
Care Bears
The Care Bears are characters created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. The original artwork for the cards was painted by artist Elena Kucharik. In 1983, Kenner turned the Care Bears into plush teddy bears...
movies, as well as the DIC-produced television series
The Care Bears (TV series)
The Care Bears is an animated television series based on the Care Bears franchise, which aired between 1985 and 1988 in syndication; on the ABC network in the United States; and on Global in Canada. The 1985 episodes were produced by DIC Entertainment; the ABC/Global episodes were made by...
(credited as "Billie Mae Richard"), and Brightheart Raccoon in the Nelvana-produced Care Bears television series
The Care Bears (TV series)
The Care Bears is an animated television series based on the Care Bears franchise, which aired between 1985 and 1988 in syndication; on the ABC network in the United States; and on Global in Canada. The 1985 episodes were produced by DIC Entertainment; the ABC/Global episodes were made by...
.
In an interview, she stated "I'm just so glad that my kids, my grandkids, my great-grandkids and probably my great-great-grandkids will see Rudolph." She voiced Rudolph again in two other Rankin-Bass productions, 1976's Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Rudolph's Shiny New Year is the 1976 stop-motion animated sequel to the 1964 television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, produced by Rankin/Bass.-Plot:...
and 1979's summertime sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July is a feature-length 1979 Rankin-Bass crossover sequel filmed in stop-motion animation in the style of their 1964 Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was 97 minutes long. Although designed as a theatrical release , it made its U.S...
.
Richards' four other appearances in Rankin-Bass productions were in Willie McBean and his Magic Machine, The King Kong Show
The King Kong Show
The King Kong Show is an American/Japanese children's animated television series produced in 1966 by Videocraft of the USA, and Japan's Toei Animation and is the first anime series produced in Japan for an American company...
, The Smokey Bear Show and The Daydreamer (both from the mid-1960s). About that same time, she appeared in the original Spider-Man
Spider-Man (1967 TV series)
Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
television series. She also voiced all the female characters in The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo
The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo
The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo was a series of five minute cartoons produced in Canada in the mid-1970s. They told the story of Captain Mark Nemo and his young assistants, Christine and Robbie, in their nuclear powered submarine, the Nautilus....
and The Toothbrush Family with Len Carlson
Len Carlson
Len Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
, who voiced all the male ones.
She also made a guest appearances on the television shows Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion (TV Series)
Maniac Mansion is a Canadian science fiction/family sitcom very loosely based on the LucasArts video game of the same name.The series, filmed entirely in Toronto, Ontario, was produced by Atlantis Films for The Family Channel in the United States and YTV in Canada, and aired for three complete...
, My Secret Identity
My Secret Identity
My Secret Identity is a Canadian television series starring Jerry O'Connell and Derek McGrath. Originally broadcast from September 1, 1988 to May 1, 1991 on CTV in Canada, the series also aired in syndication in the United States.-Synopsis:...
, War of the Worlds
War of the Worlds (TV series)
War of the Worlds is a television program that ran for two seasons, from 1988 to 1990. The series is an extension of the original 1953 film The War of the Worlds, using the same War Machine, often incorporating aspects from the film, radio adaptation, and original novel into its mythology.Though...
and The Hidden Room. She appeared in Pennies from Heaven
Pennies from Heaven (1981 film)
Pennies from Heaven is a 1981 musical film. The film was based on a 1978 BBC television drama. In 1981, Dennis Potter adapted his own screenplay for a film of the same name for American audiences, with its setting changed to Depression era Chicago. Potter was nominated for the 1981 Academy Award...
(1981; with Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
and Bernadette Peters
Bernadette Peters
Bernadette Peters is an American actress, singer and children's book author from Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Over the course of a career that has spanned five decades, she has starred in musical theatre, films and television, as well as performing in solo concerts and recordings...
). She also had a bit part
Bit part
A bit part is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue . In British television, bit parts are referred to as under sixes...
in the 1998 horror film Bram Stoker's Shadow Builder
Shadow Builder
Shadow Builder is a 1998 film directed by Jamie Dixon. It is based on the story "The Shadow Builder" by Bram Stoker. An evil Archbishop and his followers summon a demon to destroy the world, but the demon's first act is to kill its summoners...
, in which her character was attacked with an axe by Paul Soles
Paul Soles
Paul Robert Soles is a Canadian actor and television personality.-Acting roles:He is best known as the voice of Hermie the misfit elf in Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1964....
(who had played Hermey the elf in the original Rudolph special), and the 2001 short Bluehair.
Richards retired to Toronto. She was at one time married to musician Bill Richards
Bill Richards (musician)
Bill Richards was a Canadian violinist, composer, arranger, and editor. His compositional output includes several film scores, a Flute Quartet , and a number of fiddle tunes. He recored two of his own fiddle compositions for Spiral Records in 1957 and another of his fiddle compositions was...
and their daughter Judi Richards
Judi Richards
Judi Richards is a Canadian pop singer and songwriter.Born in Toronto, Richards is the daughter of musician Bill Richards and actress Billie Mae Richards . She has sung numerous jingles for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Montreal and has performed in concert and on record with a variety...
is a successful pop singer and songwriter.